St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-15
BILLY KasSANE.
He Made a Confession Regarding the
Burning of the Martha Washing.

-
Burning of the Martha Washing.
ton.
NEW YORK. April 1.-THE case of
Billy Kissane seems destined to as long
run in the newspapers as Jim, the Pen
man," has had ON the stage. The Herald
this morning says:
As William NJ. Evarts one of the persons
who received William Kissane's confession of
guilt in the burning of the steamer Martha
Washington, cannot recall the circumstances
OF the confession, it has been doubted by
some persons whether such a confession
really was made. There were three persons
beside Kissane pr esent when the latter wrote
out his confession namely: Mr.. Evarts, John
Z. Tappan, of this city, for many years seq
Rotary of the New York board of under
writers, ana George W. Hartwell, of Cincln-
natl. Mr.. TappaE is an unimpeached aid
unimpeachable witness. 81 learned only last
fall, said Mr.. Tappan, that Kissane was
Still living, and I could hardly believe it, /
have no pecuniary interest to serve and
there is no restitution to be made by him to
me, or to che Union Mutual Insurance COM
pany. The company refused to pay the poi
icy 1t had written upon part of the Martha
Washington's cargo, and the couspirators
never dared to sue for it. If any one was en-
titled to restitution it was our agent Amasa
Mason, who, at Kissane's investigation, was
foully
ASSAULTED AND LEFT FOR DEAD
on the steps of the Burnett house." Mr..
Tappan, after giving rapid review of the
facts connected with the Martha Washington
case and his connection with it, continued:
~ had suspicion of something wrong when
B. W. Kimball, the brother-in-law of Capt
Cummings, took out $4,000 policy with us,
so that the instant heard of the loss, about
three days later, telegrapheo to Mr. Mason,
then our agent in Buffalo, to go to Cincinnati
a Al
three times the amount Of the policy in baf-
fling the conSpiratorS. Some of the COM
panies paid, but others refused to do So and
after kissane was sent to Sing Sing we felt
that the finishing stroke could be given to an
organized band of thieves if we could learn
all about them from Kissane. Accordingly
went to see Kissane at Sing Sing prison. His
look when he entered the warden's room and
saw me was that of d Gagged tiger. Seeing his
anger at me l told him that had come to get
him out of prison if could on certain con-
ditons. His manner changed instantly, and
he expressed entire Willingness to denounce
his coufederates. On June %, in company
with our counsel, William NJ. Evarts and
George w. Hartwell, went again to see Kis-
sane. and he then delivered to us his complete
confession. 1t was q specific and
COMPLETE ACKNowL EDGEMENr
of all that we had proven on the Columbus
trial, and no one could read 1t in connection
with the testimony given on that trial. with
out seeing that it was an exact statement Of
the most damnable species that one could i'm
agine. In accordance with my promise to
Kissane l called on GOV. Clark, and after
herring all the facts he was willing to grant
pardon, which was issued shortly afterward
The way in which our copy of the confession
disappeared was peculiar. In our building OF,
Cedar and William streets we had large loft
where are stored old papers, ledgers, Journals
and other books of account. We had JAM
lob,
trusted fully. About twenty-five years ago
we begun to miss articles of value from the
office, and Detective Sampson was called in
In a day or two he caught our trusty Gibbs
with bag full Of torn books at u Junk shop.
On investigation we found that Gibbs had
sold all our papers. Among the papers stolen
aud sold by him was our copy of the Kissane
confession. j understand that CODY of
Kissane's confession filed at Albany, has also
disappeared. l ain satisfied that the applica-
ton to dismiss the indictment for forgery
would
NEVER HAVE BEEN MADE
in his behalf If he had not known positively
that the paper could not be found in the
archives at Albany. When Kissanc wrote out
his confession he did it with such rapid,ty
that made some remark about the CELEBRITY
and finish of his writing. Just write your
name for me-, he said, and when / had done
so he dashed off fac-simile so perfect that if
| had not seen him write it / would have de-
elared it was my own signature. He was
undoubtedly one of the most expert forpers
of this country. One of the most conclusive
proofs of the accuracy of Klssane's confess
sion lies in the fact that thenceforward we
never had claim put forward for the
policy we had written. 1t not only debarred
the scoundrelS from any further stems
to collect their fraudulent insurance. but I
think it broke up the conspiracy and put an
end to similar attempts by the same Villains
for many years ut least
Mr.. Tappan's statement is conclusive that
Kissane did confess as stated and il is NOT
impossible that the missing document itself
will shortly be found